When I first moved to the United States, the only cider that was "widely" available was Vermont-based Woodchuck or Boston's Angry Orchard, fruity beverages that dominated the American cider scene back then. In recent years though, the refreshing and light apple-based drink has exploded here. As craft beer became increasingly popular, cider's appeal also rose, particularly as an alternative to beer for those who can't drink (especially those who are gluten intolerant) or those who just don't like the taste of it. Fast forward to 2016, and cider is definitely having a moment in America! And that includes in the state of Virginia, of course (I mean, Jefferson grew apples at Monticello and ...
Liquid Diet
It’s the Most Boozytiful Time of The Year
Mad props to my good friend Colleen who made this awesome wine advent calendar for her office. OK, yes, it helps that she works in the wine industry... but still, I think we all agree this is THE best way to countdown to Christmas day! I've seen a lot of super original and cute advent calendar inspiration online this season, but this one is by far my favourite!! Every day until the 25th, International Cellars will be highlighting a different wine and region with a bottle from their advent calendar so make sure to follow them. And if you're looking to make your own wine advent calendar (it's not too late right?) World Market has a great tutorial (and sells the wine rack you need to make ...
Beaujolais Nouveau Cranberry Sauce
There are two celebrations I particularly look forward to at the end of November. Both owe their dates, on the third Thursday and last Thursday of November, to laws in their respective countries. I'm of course referring to France's Beaujolais Nouveau celebration and the United States' Thanksgiving. Thanks to some rather brilliant promotion from Beaujolais' PR people, the purple-pink Gamay wine is now often paired with turkey, stuffing etc. at tables across the country. This year, I decided to combine the two holidays in one festive dish: a Beaujolais Nouveau cranberry sauce. Since the recipe only requires about a cup of wine, it's a perfect way to finish off a bottle! For one 12oz pack of ...
Life Goes On~Celebrating Beaujolais Nouveau in Washington, DC
I'm not exactly in a celebratory mood these days, but life goes on. Paris is about life, about being at a terrasse right now etc. Life has to go on and this week life includes the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau, which always takes place on the third Thursday of November (or midnight that Wednesday!) Here are a few, selected spots where you can partake in some Gamay-drinking in Washington, D.C. BITRO DU COIN Still THE place to be at midnight when Beaujolais Nouveau is released. It's probably too late to get reservations for dinner, but show up around 10PM when they start clearing out the tables. The Beaujolais typically starts pouring 11PM, which technically is well past midnight in ...
Third Annual Craft Spirit of Poe Cocktail Fundraiser
Last Thursday, I got a sneak peek of Craft Spirit of Poe, a gothic cocktail fundraiser that challenges local mixologists to author bespoke cocktails inspired by Edgar Allen Poe stories. Proceeds from the event benefit Les Dames d'Escoffier DC's scholarship and grant programs for women in the food, beverage and hospitality industries. On Thursday, judges Chantal Tseng (Red Eye Menu), Derek Brown (Drink Co.), Kelly Magyarics (Craft Spirit Exchange) and Emily Heil (Washington Post) had the difficult task of tasting and evaluating 12 different concoctions and interpreations of Poe. The main event will take October 6th, the day before the anniversary of Poe's death, at The Loft at 600F, and ...
Save the Date~Two Fabulous Champagne Lanson Events Coming September 15th
Just last weekend I was dressed in white from head to toe and appropriately sipping some Champagne Lanson Brut White Label NV at Washington's second annual Diner en Blanc. You can read more about DC's 2015 Diner en Blanc here (and here and here and here.) If you missed Diner en Blanc or you just want to relive a part of this magical evening, the House of Lanson is coming to town and hosting two events in the District. The first, more casual, is a tasting of the entire champagne house portfolio at one of my go-to wine shop Cork and Fork (always trust a wine shop owner whose grandfather ran the Champagne Veuve Clicquot vineyards) between 6-8PM on September 15 (Tickets $20). The ...
Wine Wednesday – Washington Nationals Cabernet
Even though you can buy little individual bottles of wine at Nationals Park, I really can't say that I would ever associate baseball with wine. And yet, Major League Baseball just got into the wine business with the launch of its own line-up of baseball teams branded wine. According to Fast Company, MLB couldn't get into the beer business because of its exclusivity deal with Budweiser. But wine was fair game and so in 2014, the Giants, Yankees, Mariners, Red Sox, Rangers, Phillies, and Cubs got their own custom blends and branded bottles. Obviously, there are baseball fans who are also wine fans because the program was successful enough to be extended to 13 additional teams this year, ...
Six Budget-Friendly French Wines for Bastille Day
From a baguette relay race at Paul to diner at Bistrot du Coin or a fancy patio fête at the Sofitel Hotel, there are plenty of options to celebrate France's national holiday, le Quatorze Juillet, in Washington, DC. If you're more of a homebody, why not stay at home and watch a great French film while sipping a good bottle of French wine! For the films, I've narrowed down 20 of the best French films available on Netflix right here. And to help you find the perfect bottle of wine to go along whichever flick you pick, I turned to Michelle Lim Warner and Michael Warner, co-owners of DCanter, for some suggestions. One of the things I love about the Capitol Hill wine boutique (other than the ...
Discover the Wines of the Languedoc Region
Is it August yet? I'll be traveling to Montpellier, Bezier and Carcassonne in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in a few weeks and I can't wait!! The Languedoc isn't as famous when it comes to wine as say Burgundy or Champagne, but the Southwestern French region is one of the largest and oldest wine-producing area in France. Two wines that I personally love from the Languedoc are Corbière reds and rosés. The Languedoc, which spans the Mediterranean coastline from Provence to the France’s border with Spain, enjoys a warm and sunny weather, with 320 days of sunshine a year, and produces some wonderful rosés. Since today is #LanguedocDay, an occasion for wine lovers around the world ...
A Taste of Burgundy: Jambon à la Chablisienne
Making Jambon à la Chablisienne is very simple and allows you to bring together two ingredients that are abundant in Burgundy: wine and ham. In this case, the wine in question is Chablis, one of the better chardonnays produced in the region. The original dish as it was created in the first half of the 20th century called for a whole ham cooked on the boned in Chablis with added flavouring and served over spinach or fresh noodles . Today, the recipe has been simplified: thick slices of ham are baked with a sauce made of tomatoes, wine and shallots and served over rice. Here's how to make it at home... INGREDIENTS PREPARATION Start by heating up the oven to 400° and preparing your ...